The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1887-12-08
Ecclesiastical Bullies.
Should The Pulpit Be Placed On
A Level With The Circus?

Should The Pulpit Be Placed On
A Level With The Circus? ?
Considerable stir has been created in
the South by an episode which oc-
Cured in Congregational Church in
Nashville, Tennessee, a short time ago.
1t was on Sunday morning, and the
Minister, Rev. w. A. Chandler, took
up theaters and theater-going people
as his theme In the course of his re-
marks he denounced all theatrical per-
formances as immoral in their effects,
and theatrical performers generally as
immoral people. When he had fin
ished his discourse, Miss Emma Abb
bott, the actress and singer, who was
in the audience, arose, pale and trem-
bling, and gave that pulpit bully a
down-setting that brought tumultuous
cheers from his own congregation.
While one is not apt to go the thea
ter for the best examples Of morality,
or the most ennobling influences, still
the Church, as we'll as the world, can
afford to be fair. We have seen the
atrical performances that were more
than entertaining-they were instru c.
tive Yea, more than this, they were
ennobling. To see a Forrest, or a
Booth, or Jefferson, play, gives one
better idea Of human character and
human frailty, than could be taught
in great many bullying sermons.
The theater, however, suffers from
humbugs, snide, lone horse" shows.
The pulpit suffers on the same line.
It has not been many years since the
Minister Of the Gospel, as a rule,
preached Christ to sinful world, and
presented, with all possible eloquence,
the great promises held out by the Di-
vine Word. He appealed to the no.
bier sensibilities Of his hearers. and
plead with men a women to come to
God-to walk in the light. Many
good Ministers work on this line yet,
but along comes the Sam Jones style
of Ecclesiastical Bullies and Clowns,
and turn the sacred pulpit into cir
Gus ring, more hurtful than the vilest
ten cent theater on the road. Follow
ing up this new departure, other Min
listers, in the attempt to initiate the
sensational Sam, render the pulpit
ridiculous and contemptible-no, not
the pulpit, themselves. John Lowlow
plays the clown in Rohinson's Show,
for money. Sam Jones plays the
clown in the pulpits and at the camp
meetings, for money-and nothing
else. What is the spiritual or moral
tendency Of such work? Lets see !:
You read the Bible to your child; you
teach it the sweet promises made
therein; you assure that child of your
effort to live righteous life, and the
child comes to regard your life and ex-
ample as being in some degree worthy
of emulation. The Sam Jones Minis
ter comes along; every sinner in the
community rushes to Church "to hear
him give it to some Of those old hypo-
critics.; you take your child there, be-
cause you are member in good stand
ing, and yop would have that child
learn the beauties of Church life; the
Minister starts out with the crudest
and most brutal jokes about the
Church and Church members; he tells
you that you are miserable sinner,
and that if justice were meted out to
you, you would be in hell within the
next ten minutesi that you are all bad,
lost and ruined reprobate; every sim
ner in the house is convulsed with
laughter at the expense Of the Church
mem bership, and when the collection
basket goes around, the bummers who
have come to see and hear the fun,
contribute generously, and eagerly
watch for the next date"
Now tell US, pray, what theater,
what menagerie, what side-sh0W: with
its aggregation of learned pigs, trained
dogs, sleepy snakes and fat women,
could do more to make religion a
laughing-stock, or the house of God a
place Of amusement? Bad as the the
ater may be painted We do not
advocate its righteous tendencies by
any means-its managers as rule OBJ
serve the strict law Of courtesy.
When the sensational preacher throws
aside the dignity of the priestly Office
and becomes bully, how much more
good does he accomplish than the the
ater? The world needs the kind of
preaching that sticks to the love and
law of God, and the example Of Jesus;
that makes the pulpit respected, rather
| than notorious.
| rHo,,,,, a1 Ito